Secondary
To provide a curriculum to enable all students to fulfil their academic potential.
The Secondary section of the school spans the ages 12 to 18 years and follows the basic provision of the National Curriculum of England; Key Stage 3 for Years 7 to 9, followed by a two-year IGCSE programme for Years 10 to 11 culminating in external examinations of Cambridge International Examinations. The final two years of secondary education, Year 12 to 13, is devoted to the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
Features of a BISP education for all Key Stage 3 students include:
- Mandatory instrumental music in mainstream lessons (instruments provided by the school). An important aim is to ensure that all students become musically literate.
- Annual mandatory external LAMDA examinations (London Academy Music and Dramatic Arts) for voice and spoken English.
Academic learning Spaces include: six fully equipped science laboratories; two large Art studios; two large Design and Technology workshops; designated department classrooms for Mathematics, English, Humanities, Modern Foreign Languages; Information Technology; Drama; Music rooms and practice booths; a secondary library; a large IB student work/common room. An auditorium is used frequently as a learning area, as well as being a performance and assembly space.
Additional support includes an Intensive English Programme; Additional Educational Needs department; two university counsellors and a personal counsellor.
Our activities provision is also extensive, with a well-established CAS (Creativity, activity, service) and an International Award (IA) Programme.
Key Stage 3 Curriculum
Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9) covers the transition from the more structured environment of the Primary school and prepares students for the independent study required for the IGCSE and IB Diploma Programme (IBDP).
The content of the English National Curriculum is modified slightly to take into account our location in South East Asia. It is inquiry-based with an emphasis on developing basic skills and concepts and building a firm foundation for the IGCSE and IBDP years.
All students follow a course involving a wide range of subjects, providing everyone with the opportunity to discover and examine their own particular interests and talents.
| Students study: | | | |
|---|
English
Mathematics
Science
History | Geography
ICT
Drama
Art | Design Technology
Music
Physical Education
Wellbeing | Thai
or
Thai Studies &
French or Mandarin or Spanish |
IGCSE Curriculum and subject choices
For the two IGCSE years (also known as Key Stage 4), students will be in Year 10 and 11 and the curriculum follows IGCSE courses. These subjects are selected by students in close consultation with parents and staff. Students are encouraged to maintain a broad and balanced curriculum, bearing in mind their pathway after the completion of IGCSE examinations.
Students study:
| Block | Subjects |
|---|
| English: | English First Language and English Literature or English as a Second Language |
| Mathematics: | Mathematics or Additional Mathematics |
| Languages: | Thai First Language, Russian, French, Spanish, Mandarin |
| Science: | Biology, Chemistry and Physics or Coordinated Science |
| Option 1: | Business Studies, Global Perspectives, Geography, Art & Design |
| Option 2: | Business Studies, Global Perspectives, History, Computer Studies, Music, P.E., Design Technology |
| Note: | Option blocks 1 and 2 are reviewed annually and may be altered to reflect combinations students would like to study. |
IB Curriculum and subject choices
In Years 12 and 13 (Key Stage 5) BISP students study the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), which culminates in externally assessed examinations at the end of Year 13 and is recognised for university admission by universities all over the world.
All students are provided individual advice and consultations on their subject choices by the IB Coordinator and University Counsellors. The school timetable does place some limitations on the combinations of subjects possible. Please enquire for additional information.
In addition to the IB Diploma, eligible students are awarded the BISP High School Diploma, this provides students with an alternative pre-university qualification.
| Subjects Offered | Students study the core and one subject from groups 1 to 5 and a sixth subject from groups 3 to 6 |
|---|
| Core: | Theory of Knowledge
Students also complete an Extended Essay and actively participate in the Creativity, activity, service (CAS) programme. |
| Group 1: | English A, Thai A, Russian A, Self Taught A |
| Group 2: | English B, French B, Spanish B, Mandarin B, French Ab Initio, Spanish Ab Initio |
| Group 3: | History, Geography, Economics, Business & Management, Psychology, ITGS |
| Group 4: | Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Systems & Societies, Design Technology |
| Group 5: | Mathematics: analysis and approaches, Mathematics: applications and interpretation |
| Group 6: | Music, Visual Arts, Theatre |
Download the Secondary Parent Student Handbook
Features of a BISP education for all Key Stage 3 students include: